Unit 4: The 1920s and 1930s
Lesson 3: Prohibition
FOCUS ACTIVITY
I Can Do It!
I can describe prohibition era in the United States and explain its positive and negative effects.
TEACHING ACTIVITY
Guided Reading
DIRECTIONS: We are now going to read today's text as a class. Remember to follow along. I will select readers randomly by calling out numbers. Important terms, people, places, and events are highlighted in the toolbox.
PROHIBITION
WHAT IS PROHIBITION?
Prohibition, or the outlawing of the consumption of all alcoholic beverages, may seem like an unmanageable task on a national level. At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were those who thought otherwise. At the outset, the majority of Americans supported the Eighteenth Amendment, believing that a world without liquor would be a better place. After a few years, it became apparent that its drawbacks outweighed any possible benefits.
ALCOHOL - RELATED PROBLEMS
Alcoholism was a big problem in nineteenth century America. Men would drink away whole paychecks, leaving no money to support their families. Some women’s groups, religious groups, and reformers fought for prohibition. Many states became dry; that is, they passed laws which made it illegal to buy or to sell liquor. The fight did not stop there, however, because some people wanted to make the entire nation dry. This would take a constitutional amendment.
WHY PROHIBITION WAS SUPPORTED
Prohibition was supported by religious groups that believed drinking was sinful. Business leaders also favored prohibition, thinking it would reduce absenteeism at work. Other groups blamed poverty, disease, and crime on alcoholism. Physicians spoke out about the dangers of alcohol consumption to unborn babies and noted that in large families where the parents drank, the children were often mentally retarded. When the United States entered World War I, a strong argument for personal sacrifice and the need for grain to aid in the war effort led Congress to pass the Eighteenth Amendment. It read:
“After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.” Ratified by 36 states in January of 1919, the Prohibition Amendment took effect in January 1920.
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TOOLBOX
Prohibition: the outlawing of the consumption of all alcoholic beverages
The Eighteenth Amendment: U.S. law that made it illegal to sell alcohol alcoholism: a medical condition in which someone frequently drinks too much alcohol and becomes unable to live a normal and healthy life dry state: a state that made buying and selling alcohol illegal Al Capone: famous Chicago gangster who sold alcohol during Prohibition Speakeasies: bars that sold alcohol illegally in the U.S. during the 1920s 21st Amendment: a law past that ended prohibition |
WHY PROHIBITION DID NOT WORK
Al Capone
Prohibition made drinking more attractive to many people. Consumption of alcohol by women and young people increased. Gangsters like Al Capone of Chicago took over the illegal activity of selling liquor. Speakeasies popped up all over the country — by 1933 there were more than 200,000 speakeasies throughout the United States. Prohibition laws became the most disliked and disobeyed laws in U.S. history. Congress did not foresee problems with enforcement of the law and did not provide enough money for agents.
EFFECTS OF PROHIBITION
The restrictions of Prohibition probably caused the outrageous behaviors of the 1920s. Speakeasies had abundant business. Making “bathtub gin” and brewing beer became popular pastimes. Disregard for Prohibition created contempt for other laws and made crime a big business. In December of 1933, the 21st Amendment was past that ended prohibition, but the problems that prohibition caused remained.
WHOLE GROUP ACTIVITY
Understanding Concepts
DIRECTIONS: In this activity, we will discuss the answers to the following questions:
1. What is prohibition?
2. What law made selling alcohol illegal in the United States?
3. Why did people want Prohibition?
4. Why did Prohibition not work?
5. What were the effects of Prohibition?
6. What law ended Prohibition?
1. What is prohibition?
2. What law made selling alcohol illegal in the United States?
3. Why did people want Prohibition?
4. Why did Prohibition not work?
5. What were the effects of Prohibition?
6. What law ended Prohibition?
SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY
Support Your Cause
DIRECTIONS: In this activity, your group will use the reading to make a list of the pros and cons of prohibition. After the list is constructed, each group member will decide for themselves whether they would have supported prohibition or not. Each member will then construct their own poster either defending or protesting prohibition. Make sure your poster gives reasons why you would support or not support prohibition.
Examples are embedded below:
Examples are embedded below:
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INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY
Exit Pass
DIRECTIONS: In this activity you answer prove that you have met the Lesson Mission by answering the essential question of the lesson. Please complete the exit pass below. This question is worth 10 points and is graded for accuracy. You MAY use the reading and any notes you took.
HOMEWORK
Finish the Lesson and Family Time
Remember, you have homework every night in Social Studies. First, share with your family what you learned in class today. Second, review your exit pass response to each lesson and the lesson vocabulary to help you study for the test.
END OF THE UNIT 4 LESSON 3 MODULE
Making Up This Lesson
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If you missed today and need to make up this lesson, simply read today's text under Whole Group Activity, Guided Reading and answer the Exit Pass Question on paper and turn it into the turn in tray on my kidney table. Remember it is taken for a grade and is worth 10 points.
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